Novaculite questions

[autologus]

I am wanting to learn to knap the stone and I have some questions about novaculite. 

Does it need to be heat treated?
What about surface stone is it any good or should I try for quarried stone?
If I get started is there a cure for it?

The reason I am asking about novaculite in particular is because I live in Magnet Cove Arkansas the novaculite capitol of the world and obtaining material would be trivial.

Grady

[Dalton Knapper]

Does it need to be heat treated?
Yes, it takes a lot of heat. Knapping raw Novaculite does not produce very desirable results. It can be knapped without heat treating, but any thin flakes will hinge and your work will get ugly real quick.

What about surface stone is it any good or should I try for quarried stone?
It depends on how long the surface stone has been on the surface and the porosity of the rock its self. Quarried stone or stone from some other disturbance is almost always better than geologically weathered stone (stone that has been weathered for hundreds or thousands or more years).

If I get started is there a cure for it?
The loss of your fingers is the only cure.

[autologus]

Awesome thanks, although I am a little concerned about the cure.    A member of my church has a quarry and told me he would give me 500 lbs of spalls if I would make him a bow and some arrows so I guess I need to be busy.    Oh what is a lot of heat?  Can a turkey roaster accomplish the task or will it require a kiln?

Grady

[1442]

Oh Man! 500 pounds of novaculite is gonna be a real big help in learning to knap.
I don't know nuttin bout heatin it, but I've worked some that's been heated to 800 and it was really sweet.
I think you've got the material part covered, now you can work on the fun part of learning to knap.
Enjoy it, and goodluck.     Terry

[RickB]

Novaculite, various colors (Arkansas) Spalls <2" 850

[autologus]

Well I also have the tools covered too thanks to you Terry, I have to put those to work. 

Grady

[Dalton Knapper]

The Turkey roaster probably won't help, but I would try it anyway and just use the sides and bottom - forget anything in the middle and fill the rest with sand. I think you need 700+ degrees for most Novaculite. Just Google "Heat Treating Novaculite." There are a few grades that go as low as 600, but those are rare to find (such as a deep red and maybe some black). One thing is for sure, you won't be able to hurt it unless you don't get the water out.

[Zuma]

Raw, tough and rough. Heated correctly yowza!
I do not know the recipe but for a cut I'll find it out.
Please share your good fortune.LOL
Zuma

[JonW]

It takes a lot of temperature to make candy rock. I am not sure who you are referencing about owning a quarry but I'll tell you what I know. Parker's quarry has the best range of colors IMO. Steve Kirshman's quarry has the better quality rock IMO. Either way you can't go wrong Grady.

[Knapper]

Grady, We need to get together sometime and do some knapping. Im just across state line in Ok. I also have a kiln and have heat treated some of that rock from around Hot Springs. Right now I have two 5 gallon buckets to heat. If you check some of the rock by driving good flakes you ca n find some that you can work. Here is the last point I made of novaculite without heat,
But Yes with the right heat it is sweet stuff
Knapper

[autologus]

It takes a lot of temperature to make candy rock. I am not sure who you are referencing about owning a quarry but I'll tell you what I know. Parker's quarry has the best range of colors IMO. Steve Kirshman's quarry has the better quality rock IMO. Either way you can't go wrong Grady.

Robert Parker is the one, I just need to get busy and get him a bow made.  This time of year is a whirlwind with basketball, track, and softball.  I have been doing some exploring and found what looks to be nice novaculite that is almost white and rings like steel but when you whack on it with a hammerstone it does not flake but crushes.  I guess this is what would need to be heated to get to flake correct?

Grady

[Knapper]

pics would help but prob, yes
knapper

[Zuma]

Here is some novaculite that was heated.
I don't know where from or what temp it was cooked at.
It knapped very well.
Zuma

[Dalton Knapper]

Here is some stuff from Rick Parker's quarry (I think) - it's a little grainy, but works good:



This is some more fine-grained novaculite, probably from Hot Springs where I once collected some:

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/benhenry007/DSC_0040.jpg

And another that I think came from Dan's Whetrock (Steve Kirschman)



Anyway, correctly heated Novaculite will produce nice points even if it is a grainy grade like the first and last points. I like it and it is a great beginner's rock if you didn't sink much money into it to start with. Good luck. Good thing about Rick Parker's quarry is that all of the black and black & white will take heat treating and not all black novaculite will do that.

[cowboy]

That's some awesome novac stuff there guys! I have a few chunks I bought in MO more than a few years back but haven't grown the juev, er figured out what to do with it yet .